Pickaroon point



Dec. 16, 1958 A. w. JUNTUNEN 2,864,643

PICKAROON POINT Filed Sept. 7, 1954 States This invention relates to a pickaroon and has special reference to a point for a pickaroon. I

Pickaroons have been used for many years in the logging industry for handling logs. However, throughout this long period of use of pickaroons, there has been a continued search for a point which would hold in wood to permit the safe handling of logs. Many and various points have been'developed and tried for this purpose but none has been entirely successful.

Pickaroon points are a constant source of annoyance and consideration to loggers in that the points do not hold in wood very well, as stated above. This is especiaily true when wood is to be lifted, by means of the pickaroon, for loading or piling. When Wood is being lifted with a pickaroon, thepoint is sunk into the wood by a blow simulating chopping with an ax. Most everyone who is going to lift a log tries to sink the point in as deeply as possible to try to obtain maximum holding power for the point in the wood because if the point should slip free, the person doing the lifting receives a severe back wrenching, and the falling log may injure him or some other worker near him. In spite of the potential source of injury when using pickaroons, it is desirable to use pickaroons for hand loading, lifting, or piling of logs such as pulpwood, for it is much faster than by and other hand method.

Conventional pickaroon points are especially inconvenient in winter because the points do not sink readily into frozen wood and do not hold well in frozen wood.

it is one of the principal objects of my invention to provide a point for a pickaroon which will preclude the slipping of the point from the wood.

Another object of this invention is to provide a point which will operate efiiciently in frozen wood.

Another object is to provide a special point construction for pickaroons whereby the point may enter the wood easily and whereby the point will be locked in the wood to prevent its slipping. 7

Another object is to provide a pointconstruction for pickaroons wherein the point is directed into the wood in such a manner that the wood grips the tool point firmly as the tool moves into the wood and displaces wood to permit the entry of the tool point.

Another object is to provide a tool point which will enter wood quickly and easily and which will provide a wide surface for lifting and holding power and a tapered body portion which permits the deep penetration of the point.

A more specific object is to provide a tool point having a hook-like projection at its forward end for gripping power, which hook portion is directed into a holding position whenever the point is inserted into wood by virtue of the construction of the point.

Another such object is to provide a heel hook to lock the point in conjunction with the front or forward hook of the tool.

These and other objects and advantages of my invenate , 2,54,43 Patented Dec. 16, 1958 ICC tion will become more apparent as the description pro ceeds.

in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a pickaroon having a point constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the tool point shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tool point.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of a portion of a log showing my tool point embedded therein.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing how my invention is used.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77, Fig. 1.

In the drawing the reference numeral 1 indicates a handle of a pickaroon on which the tool head 2 is mounted in a conventional manner.

Numeral 3 indicates the shank of the tool on the end of which the tool point 3 is carried.

The shank 3 of the tool tapers from the tool head towards the point in a substantial uniform taper on each side edge 4-4, and the tool shank tapers from the front face 5 towards the rear face 6 thereof, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7. This shape of tool shank is desirable for reasons which will become apparent.

The point portion 3 of my tool has side faces 77 which form a continuation, preferably, of the sides 4--4 of the tool shank, as shown in Fig. 2, particularly. Thus, the opposed faces of the tool point and the tool shank form a substantially uniform taper outwardly towards the head 2 of the tool.

The point 3 includes an inwardly projecting toe or hook portion 8 at the outer end thereof, the toe portion having a substantially flat front face 9 which extends in angular relation to the front face 5 of the shank, the two faces joining each other as at 10. The bottom or extreme outer edge of the point 3 tapers rearwardly as at 11 leaving the outermost tip of the point formed by a portion of the front face 9 of the tip or point 3. The tip or leading edge of the tool point is sharpened to a V-shape as at 12 from the side faces 77. The leading edge of the tool indicated by the numeral 11 is relatively short, as seen in the drawing, and serves to separate the wood fibers to permit the tool point to sink into the wood.

From the leading edge 11, the tool point includes a flat rear face 14 which is oppositethe face 9 of the point, and extends in angular relation to the rear face 6 and to the leading edge, as shown forming the tool point to a substantially wedge shape in the tool, observed from the side elevational view as seen in Fig. 1. The heel of the tool point is formed with a projection 15 beyond the rear face 6 of the tool shank which forms a heel or rear hook, which cooperates with the forward angular projecting tip 8.

In operation, when the tool point is struck into a piece of wood such as the log 16, the sharpened leading edge 11 forces the wood fibers to separate and permits the tool to enter. As will be'seen, from the drawings, the leading edge 11 does not cut a wide path into which the tool may enter, but merely serves to cut sufficiently to permit wood fibers to be displaced by the tool as it enters, the construction of the tool point and tool shank being such as to force the displacement of the fibers in the most advantageous manner and providing the maximum gripping power for the wood to maintain the tool point and shank in a slight are for this flat face which is at the rear of the tool point serves to push and maintain the forward face 9 of the tool point and that portion of the front face of the tool shank which is within the wood, in firm engagement with the wood fibers over their entire area. Obviously, the wedge construction of the tool point causes the wood fibers to be displaced and bent as much as possible rather than being cut or torn as the tool point enters the wood. When the tool point enters the wood sufficiently deep so that the heel hook is within the wood, the bent or deformed wood fibers, quickly, because of their in herent resiliency, engage over the hooks rear wall 16 and serve to prevent the tool from loosening in the Wood. The compressed condition of the wood fibers, because of the relationship of the front face 9 and rear wall14 of the tool point, causes the point to be firmly gripped and held from outward movement, in cooperation with the rear hook 15. In other words, the tip is firmly gripped front and rear by the bent and compressed or displaced wood fibers which tend to return to their normal position.

In addition, the tool point and tool shank are firmly held in their desired position because of the tapered condition of the side faces 4 -4 and 77. There is a substantially uniform taper present in the side faces, and they serve to displace wood as much as possible rather than out wood fibers and thereby reduce the gripping power of the wood on the tool.

The tool front face 5 is preferably wider than the rear face 6, and this is also true of the front face 9 relative to the rear face 14 of the point, so that the tool is more efiicient in its desired purpose and yet permitting. the deepest possible penetraton of the tool for more practical and secure gripping. The double taper of the tool shank is such that penetration is facilitated and yet a wide front face is provided for work purposes. The wide front face is desirable so that wood may be pulled and/or lifted by one who is holding the. handle 1 of the tool. The faces 5 and 9 have been called front faces for they face the operator of the tool, who in normal usage, will lift and pull towards himself. The broad front faces prvide a greater surface which engages the wood, distributes the pull over more wood fibers than would be true if these faces were relatively narrow.

The back face 6 of the tool is relatively narrow for very little, if any, stress is applied directly against the face 6 during movement of wood when the tool point is engaged therein. The cross-sectional area of the tool point is such that sufficient strength is provided against breakage and the like, yet sulficient penetration is provided by not making the tool point too bulky. Strength and holding power are provided here that are needed.

In operation, I have found that my tool points will hold securely in hard frozen wood as well as in green and dry wood which may be handled in a conventional manner of logging operation. Slippage of the tool point in the wood is eliminated and safer and faster operation is provided.

In order to remove the tool from the wood, when it has served its purpose, the tool handle is sunk to extend longitudinally of the grain of the wood as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6, and by lifting the handle, relative to the wood, the point will readily tear itself out because of the extreme leverage which can be applied thereto. During normal pulling and lifting of the wood, this leverage is not applied and the tool will not tear itself out but will hold firmly and safely.

It is deemed apparent from the drawings that the longitudinal axis of the tip of the tool extends in angular relationship to the longitudinal axis of the shank whereby a hooking action is provided for the 'tip when in use as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A point for a pickaroon or the like comprising: a shank, a point on the outer end of said shank, said point including a forwardly projecting tip having a substantially flat front face, a substantially flat rear face on said point and extending in angular relationship to said front face so as to form a wedge shape with said front face, a leading edge extending longitudinally of said tip from said front face to said rear face and a hook at the opposite end of said rear face between the latter and said shank.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1, and said shank and point having side edges substantially uniformly tapered toward said tip.

3. A point for a pickaroon or the like comprising: a shank, a point on the outer end of said shank, said point including a forwardly projecting tip having a substantially fiat front face, a substantially flat rear face on said point spaced throughout its length from said front face and extending in angular relationship to said front face so as to form a wedge shape with Said front face, a leading edge between said front and rear faces and a hook at the opposite end of said rear face between the latter and said shank, said shank having a cross-section tapered from front to rear.

4. A point for a pickaroon or the like comprising: a shank, a point on the outer end of said shank, the longitudinal axis of said point being in angular relation to the longitudinal axis of said shank, said point including a tip having a substantially fiat front face projecting forwardly of said shank and at an angle thereto and forming a front hook member, a substantially flat rear face on said point and extending at an angle to said shank and in angular relationship to said front face so as to form a wedge shape with said front face, and a rear hook at the end of said tip between said rear face and said shank.

5. in a pickaroon or the like; a shank, a point on the outer end of said shank and having its longitudinal axis in angular relation to the longitudinal axis of said shank, said point including a forwardly projecting tip having a front face, a substantially fiat rear face on said point spaced from said front face in non-intersecting relation and extending in angular relationship to said front face so as to form a wedge shape with said front face, a leading edge extending between said front and rear faces at an angle to each, and a hook at the end of said tip between said rear face and said shank, said shank having a cross-section tapered from front to rear, and said shank having a side edge tapered substantially uniformly toward said tip. H I V 6. A point for a pickaroon comprisingz a shank, a point on the outer end of said shank, the longitudinal axis of said point being in angular .relationto the longitudinal axis of said shank, said point including a tip having a substantially flat front face projecting forwardly of said shank and at an angle thereto and forming a hook member therewith, and a substantially fiat rear face on said point and extending at an angle to said shank and in angular relationship to said front face so as to form a wedge shape with said front face.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,062 Peavey Jan. 26, 1926 1,765,076 Jung June 17, 1930 2,050,432 Hayes Aug. 11, 1936 2,533,901 Sharp Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 451,718 Germany Nov. 1, 1927 

